Information For

Technical Assistance

Technical Assistance

The NASSP School Improvement Framework is not a one-size-fits-all model. It takes into account the unique nature of each school and can customize the school’s improvement efforts in order to improve student performance, enhance the school culture, and increase the leadership capacity.

NASSP’s staff and school improvement specialist team can provide schools with technical assistance to help guide the school in the use of the framework to build the leadership capacity within the school to promote change that results in long-term sustainable growth. We will collaborate with and guide the school community in the creation or refinement of a school vision and mission.

We will help guide the school in the creation and implementation of an individualized action plan for improvement based on the six components of the NASSP change process:

Gather and Analyze Data to Determine Priorities NASSP will work with each school improvement team to gather and carefully examine student performance, school culture and leadership capacity data to determine priorities for improvement. We will then collaborate with and guide the improvement team in analyzing the data and determining the areas of greatest need for school improvement.

Explore Possible Solutions Based on the priorities derived from analyzing the data, we will work with each school to explore possible solutions that will lead to improved student performance, a more positive school culture, and increased leadership capacity.

Assess Readiness and Build Capacity With guidance and support from NASSP, the improvement team will assess the school’s readiness and overall capacity to successfully carry out the plan for improvement. This may include areas such as staff and community commitment to the school’s vision, resource allocation, instructional effectiveness, effective use of data, organizational structures, program offerings, expectations of student performance, rigor and alignment of curriculum, and attention to student voice and engagement.

Based on the results of this work, NASSP will help develop a plan to build the school’s capacity to address these needs through professional development, reallocation of resources, and schedule revisions as needed. In addition to individual guidance and support, NASSP will provide access to a variety of resources and tools designed to build leadership capacity such as 10 Skills for Successful School Leaders and the Leadership Skills Assessment. Another important component of school improvement is developing student leadership. NASSP is poised to do this through our student engagement program – Raising Student Voice and Participation.

Create and Communicate Improvement Plan We will then work with the schools to establish goals and outcomes that lead to improved student performance, an enhanced school culture and increased leadership capacity. Tied directly to the school improvement plan will be an individualized professional growth plan for each staff member. We will guide the school improvement team in developing and implementing a customized plan that includes communication with all stakeholders, selection of appropriate communication vehicles, and a process for managing all communications.

Implement the Plan Once the plan has been communicated to the stakeholders, including the students, NASSP will support and guide the improvement team in the implementation of the improvement plan through the use of strategies found in the Breaking Ranks framework.

Monitor and Adjust The school improvement team will establish regular check points to monitor progress. Previous data will be revisited and reviewed and additional data will be collected and analyzed. Necessary adjustments or refinements will be implemented as needed.

For more information on bringing NASSP to your school or district to provide technical assistance, please contact: Anne Knudsen at knudsena@nassp.org or 1-800-253-7746 X330